Cream-separator and churn.



A. FAY.

CREAM SEPARATOR AND GHURN.

11221101111011 FILED D20. 26, 1911. RENEWED r1111. 27, 1913.

1,072,21 9. Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

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ALPHEUS FAY, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CREAM-SEPARATOR AND CHURN.

Specification-of Letters Patent Ilfatentetl Sept. 2, 15913.

Application filed December 26, 1911, Serial No. 667,782. Renewed February 27, 1913. Serial No. 751,185.

To all. echo m, 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Anrnmis Far, a citizen of the United States, and a resident oft Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentl'lcky, have invented a certain new and useful Creamtleparator and Churn, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for the performance of such processes in connection with the treatment of cream, milk or butter as require either mechanical agitation or aeration, or both.

The processes to which my invention is most applicable will hereinafter he more fully described and clain'ied.

lvly object also is to simplify the construction of apparatus of this character, and to add to its etliciency and durability.

My invention consists in the details of constrimtion and arrangement, as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional side elevation of adevice embodying my invention. 1* 2 is a plan viewof part of my device, illustrating the mannor in which it operates. Fig. 3 is a detail view of means for securing the operating parts to the vessel, being a modification from the means illustrated in Fig. 1.

In my present invention, the device is characterized by the co-action of two agi tators, so that each acts as the brake to the other. Each agitator l is of such design as to produce a centrifugal impelling ett'ect on the liquid, and each is mounted on a shaft 2, these shafts being journaled in a bracket 3 extending across the top of the vessel 4, and suitably supported, as will be later described. The transverse shaft 5 carries the correlated members 5 and 5", which have laterally extended hubs 5 and 5'" with which they turn loosely on the shaft 5. These members 5 and 5* have hollow sides presented toward each other, in which they inclose the correlative gearing 5", comprising a driving gear 5 rigid on the shaft 5, a differential gear 5 loosely turning on a stud in the member 5 and planetary to the gear 5, and a gear 5 rigid on the member 5 with which said gear 5 is also planetary. This varies the speeds accord ing to the resistance on the respective members. The hubs of the members extend to the hearings on the bracket 3 at the sides, and the members also bear against the driving gear 5, inside, so that end play of the members on the shaft 5 is prevented, and they are maintained in slightly separated relation. Each member 5 or 5" has a bevel gear 5 or 5, respectively, mounted on its hub, being held thereon to rotate therewith by set screws. The agitator shafts 2 have bevel pinions 2 rigid thereon, and these mesh with the bevel gears 5 and 5".

The bearings 5 of the shail t 5 are detachably mounted on the bracket 3, and are located outside the agitator shafts, at the sides, as are also the bevel gears 5 and 5", which thus mesh with the pinions 2 on the loutcr sides ol. said pinions. By having the bearings 5 detachable from the bracket 3, the assemblage of the machine is Facilitated, and, especially, is of advantage in allowing the driving gear.- 5", of the correlated mechanism, to be rigidly secured to the shaft 5 before assemblage. Thus, this gear may be pressed onto the shaft, so that it is practically impossible for it to become h'ioscned. l have found from experience that, since the gear 5" must drive both agitators, the strain thereon is excessive, and any means that may be employed to secure it to the shaft after the shaft is in place, such, as a pin, is inadequate, with the result that the gear may become loosened from the shaft, rendering the entire mcrlninism inoperative and requiring complete disasscmblage of the device in order to repair it.

I prefer to attach the hearings 5 to the bracket 3 by providing the bracket with upwardly extended bosses 5, which are hollow, so that sockets are formed, receiving shanks 5" of said bearings 5. The lower ends of the bosses 5 have clamping screws 5 passing up into the lower ends of the shanks 5, to bind the hearings in position. The shanks 5 are terminated short; of the bottoms of thc sockets, so that the shoulders on the bearings, where the shanks join the bearings, are drawn firmly against the tops of the bosses. Thus, the bearings may be practically as tirmly attached to the bracket as if they were formed integrally therewith, yet allow of the advantageous construction above described. Bearings 2 are provided for the upper ends of the agitator shafts 2, integrally formed on the bracket 3, and located thereon inwardly from said shaftsto take over the pinions 2. These, with the other bearings 9.", in the bracket 3 below the pinions 2 serve to sup port the shafts in the mechanism, end play being prevented by the pinions. I

Each agitator 1 comprises the tubular shaft 1 and upper member 1, integrally formed, as here illustrated, and a lower member 1 attachedto the member 1. The tubular shaft 1 has, also integral with it, a hub 1 which is secured to the shaft 2 by a set screw, so that the tubular shaft 1 and its a itator members may be adjusted up or down on the shaft 2. This hub l joins its tubular shaft by arms 1, so that the upper end of said tubular shaft is left open for the admission of air. The bracket 3 is curved up, or arched over the vessel, so that the hubs 1 may be adjusted above the rim of the vessel, whereby the liquid in the vessel may reach a level close to the rim, without overflowing the upper ends of the tubular shafts, where such a height of the liquid may be desirable.

The driving shaft 5 is turned by a handle 6, and, owing to the location of the bearings of this shaft outside the agitator shafts, not only is a more stable support for the shaft provided, but the handle may have a better formation, as may be understood on inspection of the drawing.

Each member 1 or 1 of an agitator 1 consists in a plane body part 1" or 1 respectively, with triangular parts 1 or 1 respectively,bent at right angles thereto, at intervals therearound, with intervening straight parts 1 or 1 of the periphcry of the plane body part left intact and exposed, as is best shown in Fig. 1. These lower and upper members, thus formed, are assembled inversely, with the triangular parts of one embracing those of the other. Preferably, the upper one has said parts embracing the corresponding parts of the lower one, so that there will be no lodgment of solid particles, as of butter, between the parts. The members are secured together by passing bent-over points 1 of the triangles 1 on the upper member 1 through slots 1" in the triangles 1 of the lower member 1", and passing similar points 1 on the lower member 1? through similar slots I in the upper member. of such assemblage of these parts is. a boxlike agitator of polygonal form, some of the sides of which are closed and the others open. On account of the triangular shape of the parts 1 and 1 the closed sides will lack triangular regions which merge with The result the open sides and thus add to the area of the openings from the interior of the agitator, which these open sides constitute.

By providing a series of the slots 1" and 1, respectively, in the triangular parts of the upper and lower members, in vertical alinement, the distance between the plane body parts of the members may be varied, it only being necessary to insert the points of the triangles into correspondingly different slots. The upper member has a free, unobstructed opening around the shaft 2, to allow ready circulation of air, from the open upper end of the tubular shaft 1 down into the interior of the agitator, but the lower member fits snugly around the shaft, and thereby serves to support the agitator at its lower end, to maintain it concentric and down into said hollow interiors of the agita-.

tors. Thus, the air drawn into said interiors, mixing with the liquid drawn therefrom, will be carried out into the main body of liquid in the vessel. A circulation of liquid and air will thus be set upin the liquid, amounting to a combined aerating and mechanical agitation.

The cooperation of the agitators 1 is such that there is a collision of the liquid particles at the middle of the vessel, and an outward ebullition at one side thereof, with a corresponding inward ebullition at the other side, with a continuous circulation of the mingled liquid and air upward and downward, and around the interior of the vessel. Tlhe consequence is that the entire contents of the vessel are brought into a state of ebullition, or bubbling, resembling very much in appearance the boiling of liquid under the ac tion of heat; of'course, however, no such tei'nperature is ever used in the processes for which this apparatus is adapted, as a boiling temperature is well known to be injuri ous to all milk products. It is by this utilization of the effects of boiling, or ebullit-ion, in a mechanical way, with-out entailing the injurious effects of heat, that some "of the more important results of the'processes to be described are reached. By adjusting the lower member from the upper one, the effect of the agitator may be varied to Stilt bile use to which the apparatus is applied.

It will be observed that the impelling is effected by means of peripherally located means only, leaving the interior of the agitator smooth and unobstructed; also that the openings constituted by the open sides of the polygonal "agitator are them'selves polygonal, having, specifically, horizontal upper "ant [lower sides and angular 'lateral sides, so that the "width of a respective opening is greater at its middle, midway between the "upperiand lower .plane body porliiims 1" and 1 ,respectively, than "at; its top goibottom, adjacent the body portions. The effect of an opening of such -a shape 'isto'causea congestion of the outward flow of liquid and "air from the interior of the agitator, in the plane surrounding the middle region betweenthe upper and lower' plane body parts, (the 'to 'thegreater outflow from the widened parts of the openings, This results in "a more intimate intermiir gling ofthe liquid and air particlesfadding tothe completeness ofthe'ae 'ation while allowing an undim'inished mechanical agita tion bythe upper and 'lo'weruvider regions of the triangular(parts 1 and '1 forming theclosed sides. f

The tangential, and radially inward and outward ebullition above described, maybe more readily understood upon inspection of Fig.2. The small black arrowsindicate the flo'w of'the liqui'dand air, andthe large arrows indicate the direction of rotation of the agitators to produce such flow.

It will be understood that the agitating effect are attainable,-and the ebulliti'on may be produced, regardless of the presence of the correlative gearing for opcratively; mount-ing'the gears 5 and 5 on the shaft 5,; sincethe direction of rotation ofthe agita-j tors would'be unaltered if the gears 5 and: 5 were-fixed directly onthe shaft 5. The correlative gearing is preferable, as shown, because it is found in practice to allow a. much-more efficient apphcation of power to the two agitators provided to operate in the peculiar way herein described. Further-l more, it will be understood that each of the agitators 1 acts as abrake for the other, for. the liquid emerging from one to collide with the other agitator, as well as with the liquid emerging from said other agitator. Since. the correlative gearing herein allows the speeds of the agitatorsto vary with respect to each-other, its use will allow a variation in the relative arrangement of the agitators, so that they will at times present their open sides toward each other, and at other times present an open side to a closed side. l Vhen open sides come opposite, collision of liquid, particles will bethe onlybreaking means, and this relation of the agitators will also involve the opposition of closed sides, which will co-act to impel the liquid from between the agitators. This is the relation illustrated in Fig. 2. WVhen open and closed sides are opposed, the closed side will act as a mechanical brake to the liquid emerg ing from the open side. These different con-f ditions attending the variation in relation acter, thatof ebiillition, before alluded to.

For separating and churning, fresh sweet milk is placed in the vessel, to the amount'of about half its capacity, the upperends of the tubular shafts 1 being above the upper surface of the "liquid, as before described. The milk 1s then agitated by the operation of the mechanism,'to causethe ebullition before referredtmand thoroughly aerate the milk. The milk is preferably introduced at a temperature of from l0 to 50 degrees Faren'heit, with the atmospheric temperature at about degrees. After the combinedagitation and'aeration have been continued for from'three to :ten minutes, the liquid is allowed to rest for a few minutes, when the cream "will have completely separated from the other milk elements, and will haverisentothe top of the body of liquid. For this separating process, the vessel may be filled to nearly its capacity, if desired, instead of only half thereof, as above de scribed, which will necessitate adjustmentof the agitators 1 to their uppermost positions.

The better results are attained, however,

become complete, the skimmed milk is drawn 'sel.

off, leaving the separated cream in the ves- By varymgthe volume of skimmed mllk drawn olntho cream may be left with ;any desired propmrlion of butter fat. \Vhen the dcsn'cd proportion of skimmed milk has churn the cream.

been drawn ollgtxhe a itation isresumcd to lor tuls operation, the

lowered agitators are especially desirable.

Thetemperature of the cream will by this time have risen to :mproximately that of the atmosphere, or from (30 to degrees l aln'enhcit, and the churning agitation and aeration are continued at thistemperature until the butler is separator l from the cream, ordinarily requiringfrom three to live minutes. The butter may then be removed and wm-kcd in the usual manner, and, for convenieirlly removing the butler, the bracket :3 may be removedfrom the vessel along with the shafts and the agitators, leaving free access l'o the vessel, and leaving the entire interior of the vessel smooth, facilitating a thorough removal of the built" and permitting a thorough cleansing of the interior after the residue from the churning hasbccn withdrawn.

if it be desired, the residue from the churning may be left in the vessel, and the skimmed milk that had been withdrawn IIO after the separating operation may be then added to the residue thus remaining, and the agitators 1 again introduced and operated to thoroughly mix them, resulting in the production of a good serviceable fresh sweet milk, which contains all the natural solids of the milk except the butter fats, and which has the natural flavors of fresh sweet milk.

If it be desired to produce a high grade of buttermilk, the skimmed milk may be placed in the vessel withlthe churning residue, and before introducing the agitators, the liquids allowed to becomesour, reaching the condition of clabber. Then when the agitators are introduced and the agitation and aeration of the soured liquids effected, a good quality of finely aerated buttermilk will result. The souring of the liquids. may be facilitated by the use of a suitable ferment. This souring may also be effected with the skimmed milk alone, allowing it:

no residue for mixture with the skimmed milk.

In the treatment of either of the above clabbers, the adjustment of the agitator members is of advantage, since the increased distance between them, and the increased size of the openings in proportion to the increase in areaof the closed sides, greatly facilitates the driving them in operating upon the clabber, which naturally is of heavy and somewhat viscuous consistency- A poor quality of butter may be operated upon, to improve it, by the use of my invention, placing the inferior butter in a suitable amount of pure water in the vessel and agitating it and aerating it in the manner above described, but at a temperature of 50 or 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The butter may be granulated to permit a most eficient purifying action of the air thereon, and of the water, which may be withdrawn and fresh water supplied, as required; the entire operation results in producing the butter granules in a neutral state with their impurities eliminated. The neutral granules may then be removed and salted and worked and otherwise treated according to good practice in the production and marketing of palatable fresh butter, with which it is identical. Furthermore, if desired, the butter granules above alluded to may be mixed with sweet milk to produce a high quality of cream of any desired percentage of butter fat, of smooth consistency, thoroughly fresh, sweet and pure, and adaptable for all the purposes that a good cream is used for.

This combined agitation and aeration is especially applicable to the process of whipwith respect to themechanical agitation that the cream receives, that the desired consistency of .the whipped cream is readily and amply attained with an operation of only from three to five minutes. For whipping cream, the agitators should be close together and rotated at a high speed.

My apparatus is also well adapted for oroducin homo enized aroducts such as preparations to be used as butter, as oleomargarin, or as butterin. For this purpose, the apparatus is placed over a source of heat, a stove or burner of suitable character, so that the temperature of the contents of the vessel may be raised gradually and moderately while the agitating and aerating operation is conducted in the vessel- Thus, for preparing homogenized butter and milk, equal parts of the substances are taken, the milk having a temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit, approximately, and the butter and milk placed together in the vessel, over the source of heat, and the heat regulated so as to raise the temperature of the mixed contents of the vessel to 90 degrees Fahrenheit in about three minutes, during which time the agitation and aeration, with the ebullition thus resulting, is maintained in the contents of the vessel. At the end of this operation, the milk and butter will be found to have merged into a single homogeneous mass, having many of the characteristics of good butter and well adapted for use as such by the user of the apparatus. When properly labeled, this homogenized article also becomes a salable product, and introduces an opportunity for marked economy in either case, since the cost of the resultant product is only the mean between the cost of the butter and that of the milk. 7

When homogenized oleomar'gerin is to be made, the oleomargerin is taken instead of the butter, and when but-terin is to be produced in homogenized form, lard is used to merge with the milk; equal quantities of the fatty ingredients are taken in either case, and the temperature of the milk is initially about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, as with'thebutt er, gradually increasing the temperature of the mixture to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the agitation and ebullitio-n. Such homogenized products are superior in food value to the pure fatty ingredients employed, inasmuch as they contain the solids of the milk other than the fats. The convenience with which those products are produced by tee my apparatus makes them available to the private consumer, for domestic preparation, with the advantages of economy and improved food value mentioned.

The vessel that contains the substances operated upon may be of metal, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, this being especially suitable for treatment with heat, as described above. WVith such a vessel, attachment of the bracket 3 directly to the vessel is avoided by providing a base 13, on which the vessel l rests, provided with standards 13 having heads 13 with sockets to receive shanks 3 01' the bracket 3. Clamping screws 13 take into the lower ends of the shanks, to draw the bracket snugly against the tops of the standards. If the vessel be of wood, brackets 13, similar to the heads 13 of the standards, are screwed to the outer sides of the wooden vessel 4-, near its rim, as shown in Fig. 3. Into these brackets the shanks 3 of the b 'acket 3 are clamped by the screws 13, so that the bracket is secured directly to the vessel, as is permissible with a wooden vessel. Metal vessels are generally enameled, making it impractical to have the attachment of the bracket directly on the vessel, owing to the liability to injury of the finish. For conveniently drawing ott' liquids, the vessel is preferably provided with a faucet a, as shown in Fig. 2.

The several processes have been explained in detail herein as appropriate examples of the uses 01' my apparatus. Other advantageous uses will be suggested in the use of my invention, and divers minor modifications may occur in its adaptation to such uses; therefore I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, but

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, juxtaposed hollow agitators, each with a straight side presented at an angle to the line of rotation, and an opening from the interior of the agitator, and an air inlet to said agitator, means for adjusting the area of said straight side and 01 said opening, and means for rotating the agitators in opposed directions.

2. In a device of the character described, juxtaposed polygonal hollow agitators, each with some of its sides closed and others open, and with plane top and bottom members conforming to the planes of rotation in their respective positions, and each having an at mospheric inlet to its hollow interior, and means for rotating the agitators in opposed directions.

3. In a device of the cha -acter described, the combination of a bracket, vertical bearings therein, bosses thereon flanking the vertical bearings, each boss being hollow in its upper region to form a socket, and horizontal bearings, each having a shank leaving a shoulder where the shank joins the bearing, the tops of said bosses being adapted to receive the shoulders of the bearings and the sockets of the bosses being adapted to receive the shanks, said bosses having openings in their bottoms and said shanks having openings in their bottoms, and clan'lping screws taking through the openings in the bottoms of the bosses and threaded into the openings in the bottoms of the shanks, to draw said shoulders against the tops of the bosses and detachably secure said horizontal bearings to the bracket.

4:. In a device of the character described, the combination of a container for liquid to be treated, juxtaposed aerating agitators mounted therein for rotation on upright axes, each of said agitators comprising a plane top plate, a plane bottom plate spaced from the top plate, the inclosed space having communication laterally with the space surroumling the agitators, an air inlet to the space between the top and bottom plates, and n'ieans permitting adjustment of one of said plates toward and from the other, and means for rotating the agitators.

ALPHEUS FAY.

\Vitnesses Cnannucn Pnnnnw, W. MCGLINNEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

